


Deliver These Poor Unfortunate Souls

by A Magiluna Stormwriter (ariestess)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Mythology, Alternate Universe - The Little Mermaid Fusion, Alternate Universe - The Prince of Egypt Fusion, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Developing Relationship, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Family Secrets, Mild Language, Separations, Swan Queen Supernova 2019 (Once Upon a Time)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-12
Updated: 2019-09-12
Packaged: 2020-10-03 18:34:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,687
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20457575
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ariestess/pseuds/A%20Magiluna%20Stormwriter
Summary: "Hush now, my little one," she murmurs, unable to hide the quaver in her voice.  "This is for the best for both of us, maybe for the whole kingdom.  Nobody can know what happened.  They wouldn't understand.  You need to have your best life, and that can't happen with me, not once they see who and what you are.  The Sea Witch will know how to take you far from here and keep you safe from those who would sooner see you killed."AKA the one where Princess Emma brings her newborn son to the Sea Witch Regina for safekeeping and all of them learn more than they ever expected to about what love and family actually mean in a fusion that blendsOnce Upon a Time,The Little Mermaid, andThe Prince of Egypt.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [THEofficeghey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/THEofficeghey/gifts).
  * Inspired by [[Fanart] Deliver Us from These Poor Unfortunate Souls](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20317681) by [THEofficeghey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/THEofficeghey/pseuds/THEofficeghey). 

> Date Written: 21-29 August 2019  
Word Count: 5687  
Written for: Swan Queen Supernova 2019  
Artist: THEOfficeGhey  
Link to art: TBA  
Summary: "Hush now, my little one," she murmurs, unable to hide the quaver in her voice. "This is for the best for both of us, maybe for the whole kingdom. Nobody can know what happened. They wouldn't understand. You need to have your best life, and that can't happen with me, not once they see who and what you are. The Sea Witch will know how to take you far from here and keep you safe from those who would sooner see you killed."
> 
> AKA the one where Princess Emma brings her newborn son to the Sea Witch Regina for safekeeping and all of them learn more than they ever expected to about what love and family actually mean in a fusion that blends _Once Upon a Time_, _The Little Mermaid_, and _The Prince of Egypt_.  
Spoilers: While this is a complete AU from canon, all details we know about Regina, Emma, and Henry are up for grabs, as well as their connections to other characters from the show.  
Warnings: No standard warnings apply.  
Website: ShatterStorm Productions – Doggie Duo  
Link to: http://bdkk.shatterstorm.net/  
Archive: ShatterStorm Productions & AO3 only…all others ask for permission & we'll see…  
Feedback: Constructive criticism is always welcome.
> 
> Author’s Disclaimer: "Once Upon a Time," the characters, and situations depicted are the property of Adam Horowitz, Edward Kitsis, Kitsis/Horowitz, and ABC Studios. This piece of fan fiction was created for entertainment not monetary purposes. Previously unrecognized characters and places, and this story, are copyrighted to the author. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author. This site is in no way affiliated with "Once Upon a Time," ABC, or any representatives of the actors.
> 
> Author’s Notes: So when I contacted my artist after being paired up, I'd asked what she'd had in mind when she created her artwork and what she'd like to see included in my fic. She said the following: 
> 
> _"My main idea was a prince of Egypt / little mermaid crossover (hence the title lol). At first it was just Prince of Egypt but then I thought Emma making a deal with Sea Witch Regina would be so good! Add Henry and Prince of Egypt's "send him somewhere he may be free" and I was like yes this is a thing that needs to happen!! Also fun detail Regina's stripes glow when she's using magic! Because I loved in s1 when her eyes glowed. They should've used that more."_
> 
> So I used this info as much as possible and it definitely helped me come up with this whole new verse to play in, going back to before Regina's creation as the Sea Witch and well past the end of this particular fic here. So yes, before anyone asks, I will happily take any and all prompt ideas for this verse via my tumblr ask or my CC. And yes, I greatly enjoyed writing this fic. I can't wait to play in this particular sandbox again, ngl… 
> 
> **Note:** All "scene breaks" are POV changes between Emma and Regina.
> 
> Dedication: My muses, as usual…
> 
> Beta: TheOnlySPL is my hero…

Footfalls land softly on rickety wooden planks that were ancient long before her grandmother's grandmother was born. She honestly isn't sure how the old pier is still standing and able to withstand any kind of weight upon it, but perhaps that is a thing best to consider once she's fulfilled her mission. A soft sound from the bundled basket in her arms pulls her from her thoughts and she offers a watery smile.

"Hush now, my little one," she murmurs, unable to hide the quaver in her voice. "This is for the best for both of us, maybe for the whole kingdom. Nobody can know what happened. They wouldn't understand. You need to have your best life, and that can't happen with me, not once they see who and what you are. The Sea Witch will know how to take you far from here and keep you safe from those who would sooner see you killed."

She eases back the edge of the blanket as she reaches the end of the pier. A pair of guileless eyes such a dark blue as to be nearly black in color stare up at her, framed by wisps of sandy brown hair. The tiny upturned nose, so reminiscent of his father's, wrinkles right before he softly sneezes. The sound of his own sneeze startles him enough to make him cry and she sets down the basket to gingerly scoop him out into her arms.

"No, no, no," she whispers desperately, rocking him back and forth. "Don't cry, baby. It's okay. You just sneezed, that's all. Shh, you're fine." Without thought, she begins to softly hum the first song that comes to mind, an old lullaby that always calmed her as a child, pressing light kisses to his forehead, until he calms.

*****

Unbeknownst to her, she is being watched.

Deep under the choppy waves of Point No Point Bay, down where the lighthouse's beacon can no longer penetrate, she lies in wait. Regina, the great and ancient Sea Witch of legend. Known for generations as the protectress of unwanted and abandoned children and battered women, she has a special affinity for this particular bay and its pier. The legends of her creation and deeds have grown over the centuries, but most have forgotten that she began as a mere mortal, just like the rest of them, that the gods took a special interest in her plight and conveyed immortality upon her in exchange for a specific geas placed upon her. Any woman or child coming toward this pier will call her like a homing beacon, no matter where in all the lands she is situated.

Thus, she finds herself staring up from the depths to watch this young blonde woman and the small babe in her arms. They are mother and child, she can sense as much, but there is another's touch that she recognizes all too well. This child is in danger from the rest of the mortals should they learn of his paternal connections, just as his mother has said. She can't fully determine the connection to _him_, but it's strong enough to feel it without conscious thought. She hopes the woman is bringing her the child for protection. _He_ is quite powerful, but she has power in this domain that he cannot override, no matter what he may wish.

There is something about this woman and her infant son that calls to the remnants of humanity still lingering within Regina. She has helped thousands of women and children over the centuries, some given new lives in faraway lands, some given lives of servitude to her fellow gods, some given the mercy of a swift and painless death, but none have piqued her interest quite as much as this mother and child in front of her.

But she must wait for the words to be spoken, the ritual to be enacted. The gods willed it so when they placed the geas upon her immortality.

*****

To her dying day, she'll never understand what made her think this would be easy to do. Any of this. She never should have trusted Neal. Baelfire. Whatever his damned name was. He was too good to be true. No, that's not fair to him. He died protecting her and their unborn child from the villagers who recognized him and whose kin he was.

"Your father may have had some misguided ways of doing things, but I think he ultimately meant well for all of us. If he could, I know he'd want to be here to protect you, my little one, but that was not the will of the gods."

She presses another kiss to his forehead, smiles wanly when he roots at her breast, then carefully drops to sit on the pier and bare her nipple to his hungry mouth. As he suckles vigorously, her tears flow as freely as her milk and the realization hits that this will be the last time she ever feeds her son again. 

She'll have other children, that's a given when she comes back from her spiritual journey. Her parents have had her marriage arranged since mere days after the midwives and advisors assured them of her gender. She's seen her intended husband, and she has no desire to marry him, but she will for the good of her family's kingdom. She just wishes she could choose her husband or rule by herself, like her seven times great-grandmother did. Well, that was the last one to do it without incident or death.

"My sweet boy, I wish things were different for us. You should be a prince and next in line for the throne after me. You should have the best life possible and have both me and your father to help raise you and see you grow up into an incredible young man. If all goes well, the Sea Witch will guarantee you a good life far, far away from anyone who knows of… Well, of your father's father. You deserve to grow up happy and healthy, even if it's not with me and your father."

She hates this, hates everything about it. Part of her wishes to go back to the first time she met Neal and just run the other way. Maybe if she never found herself in this predicament in the first place, she wouldn't feel so absolutely horrid right now at the thought of giving up her baby boy for good. But there's nothing she can do to change that right now, or she'd have done it already. When he finishes feeding and drifts off to sleep again, she fixes her tunic and burps him, then cradles him for a moment or two more before settling him in the basket again. She takes a deep breath and stands up to stare out at the waves coming into Point No Point Bay from the great oceans and lands beyond.

_It's now or never_, she thinks to herself as she watches a few gulls careening over the surf, then spots a line of pelicans heading off toward the west and the resting place of the sun. That has to be the sign she's been looking for. Taking another deep breath, she smiles down at her sleeping son and fights the sting of tears.

"O Regina, Great Sea Witch of the Seven Seas and countless rivers…"

*****

The minute her name is uttered, Regina feels the bonds of the geas tightening around her being. She's been waiting for this, but also hates the fleeting sense of suffocation and entrapment when it initially occurs. Even if she wanted to ignore it, she couldn't. This is the price she must pay for the deal made with the gods.

A small part of her hopes that this young mother will make the request for herself and her son. Regina wants to help them both. She doesn't want to have to separate them. She hates the idea of not being able to save them both from the foolish mortals who would sooner kill them than accept that they are victims of _His_ malevolence.

"O Regina, Great Sea Witch of the Seven Seas and countless rivers, I am Emma, princess and heir apparent of the kingdom of Misthaven, and I come to you seeking protection for my infant son from those who would sooner see him dead than forgive him the mistakes of his mother and deceased father."

Regina frowns at that. She would prefer not separating this mother and child. She can _feel_ how much the boy will need his mother, and vice versa, over the coming years. She's always had a touch of the Sight, but her deal with the gods made it a bit sharper. She needs to keep these two together, under her personal protection.

"I don't want to leave him alone, but I have to. No one knows about him or who he's related to. He's not safe. Not even my parents could save him, or me, if the truth about him came out. I truly don't care what happens to me. I'd be happier if I just disappeared or died, but I _need_ to know that you can take him somewhere far, far away where he can be safe and grow up happy and healthy and loved. I need for him to have his best chance and you're the only one who can guarantee that. Please, great Regina, take pity on my son and let him live a full, happy, free life."

Regina's frown deepens, brows furrowing in frustration. There's a part of her that just wants to take mother and son to her personal domain deep within the ocean's murky depths or to the private island safe haven where her personal favorites spend their lives without fear or want of any kind. But one of the strongest tenets of her geas is that those she takes must come of their own free will or, if infants, given of their mother's free will. If this Princess Emma does not willing choose to come with her, Regina cannot take her, no matter how much her very soul _aches_ to save her as well as the tiny boy without a name.

"My son has no name yet," Emma says, pulling Regina briefly from her internal struggle. "His father died knowing only that I might be pregnant. We never got the chance to discuss names or where we might live or anything like that. I cannot take the baby home with me. It would be unwise and unsafe for both of us."

*****

Just talking about Neal and the barest details of his death and the discovery of who he and their son are related to is draining the last of Emma's limited reserves, and she crashes to her knees on the rickety wooden planks, half-expecting to crash through into the water below, perhaps to drown before she can even guarantee that the Sea Witch will grant her request to get her son to safety and freedom. But the wood holds steady and she can feel herself growing faint, but she's not sure if it's from relief or disappointment. 

Thankfully, her sweet baby boy remains deeply asleep, and she internally thanks every god she knows of for that. She loses herself in memorizing the details of his face once more, knowing she'll never see him again. Emma gets so caught up in her son that she doesn't notice the movement on the other side of his basket until a low, melodic voice startles her.

"Hail, Emma of Misthaven, I have heard your plea and will take your son under my protection."

Emma looks up to see the most beautiful woman she's ever looked upon in her entire life. Long dark hair the color of burnt cork that might be lighter when dry, with strands of seaweed woven through, hold up a crown of thick lavender coral. Her olive skin is traced through with stripes of a slightly darker purple than her crown, but not as dark as the tunic and cape she wears. She looks regal and proud and beautiful and Emma finds herself utterly transfixed and unable to speak. It takes a moment to notice the amusement twinkling in fathomless eyes that liquidly shift to burnt cinnamon in a direct shaft of sunlight, followed quickly by the cupid's bow of her dark, pursed lips.

"Have you suddenly been struck mute, Emma of Misthaven?" she asks lightly, a thread of teasing in her tone.

"I, uh--" Emma winces as her voice cracks and swallows hard before trying again. "I beg your forgiveness, great Sea Witch. I have never met one of the gods before, certainly not one as beautiful as you."

"Be careful, princess, or you may raise the ire of some of my more jealous fellow goddesses."

Emma feels her entire body flush hot at that. "Oh! No, that's not my intention! My apologies to you and all of the goddesses, uh, and the gods, too. I just-- I--" She lets out an explosive sigh and scrubs at her face. "I'm not very good at this." Without thought, her hand stretches out to stroke a finger gently across the baby's forehead. "I hate that I have to do this. I love him so much and I don't want to give him up, but I have to."

*****

Regina takes pity on Emma's embarrassment and returns to the task at hand, still unsure as to why she felt it at all acceptable to even consider flirting with this poor woman.

"Are you not in danger, as well?"

"If you take him and keep him safely away, that's all that matters."

She frowns at those words and their fatalistic intent. "Emma, you are his mother. He needs you and you clearly need him. You have the choice to come away with him." She knows she's skirting the boundaries of her _geas_, can feel the tightening around her chest at her impertinence, but she cannot help herself. "If you request it of your own free will, I will make it so."

"I--" She watches as Emma's eyes go unfocused, head turning back toward where she knows Misthaven lies well in the distance. "They're expecting me…"

She plays another card from her arsenal, the one that she should keep for her last resort, but Fate has a way of changing things at the last second sometimes. "This baby is not the only one tainted by _his_ darkness. His grandfather will be able to sniff you out eventually and will torture you until _he_ finds out what happened to the boy's father and to the boy himself."

"You can protect him, can't you? Or is this all some hopeless quest that I'm on? Am I better off just tying him to my breast and weighting us down before jumping off the end of this pier to offer ourselves to Hades himself?"

Bile rises up, nearly choking Regina in the process, but she manages to choke out a vicious _No!_ that wakes the baby. Without thought, she reaches for him, rising up out of the water a bit more to cradle him close as she shushes and coos at him. She can feel Emma's eyes on her, can sense how badly she wants to hold her son. Or maybe Emma wants for herself the comfort Regina offers her son? Once she calms the baby, she lifts her gaze to meet Emma's mossy green eyes.

"Tell me, Emma, what is so important back in Misthaven that you would rather be parted from your firstborn child forever?"

"Nothing is more important to me than my son's safety and happiness." The vehemence and love in her tone eases some of Regina's worry. "He is the best thing that's ever happened to me, but I can't protect him. If people knew that his grandfather is" -- she lowers her voice to barely a whisper -- "the _Dark One_…"

When she doesn't complete her thought, Regina nods slowly. "They would kill him without hesitation for the taint of that darkness. I know that. I can protect him from them and from _him_. I can protect _you_, as well, Emma, but it needs to be your choice."

"I-- It's complicated."

"Explain it to me. If it truly is as complicated as you say, I will grant your request to protect your son without further question. But if it's not, then I will give you a quest to undertake before I make my final decision."

*****

"What?" Emma stares at her in disbelief. "That's not how this is supposed to work. I said the ritual words, I explained my reasons. You're supposed to accept them and take my son under your protection and I'm supposed to finish out the quest my parents think I'm on and then return home to fulfill my dynastic duties. No one ever told me about having to do another damned quest for you to agree to protect my son."

Regina lets out a low, melodic laugh that reminds Emma of waves flowing back out to sea over pebbles. It both infuriates and soothes her by turns. "You don't know much about the ways of the gods and their favors, do you, Emma of Misthaven? What kind of education are they giving heirs apparent these days? When I was human, everyone knew that sometimes there is a test of commitment before a god will grant your request."

Emma's hands ball into fists in her lap, eyes narrowing as she stares at the Sea Witch. "I thought you were supposed to grant protection to those whose requests were made honestly and faithfully. Now I see you're just as fickle as the other gods. You're no better than _He_ is."

A flash of purple lights up her stripes and her eyes, accompanied by a rumble of thunder and a darkening of the clouds around them. Emma realizes that perhaps this wasn't the best thing she could have said while this goddess holds her baby boy. She may have just killed them both.

"You would do well to curb your tongue, mortal," Regina growls, and Emma swears she can see lightning arcing between the points of the coral crown. 

Just then, the baby whimpers and flails an arm out, catching Regina's attention. She flicks her wrist and a small pale blue orb held in a small silver dragon's claw appears in her hand. She shakes it at him, entrancing him until he quiets and absently sucks at the side of it. When she raises her eyes to meet Emma's again, there's still some anger there, but it's mitigated by fondness for the baby.

"I'm sorry," Emma says softly. "I just fear for my son's life. I will do _anything_ to ensure that he gets his best chance at life, no matter what it is."

"Do your parents know you were pregnant?"

Emma shakes her head. "I went on a spiritual quest that is part of my coming of age ritual before I can be officially received as the heir to the throne of Misthaven and marry the man I've been betrothed to since days after my parents learned I would be a girl."

*****

"Were you pregnant before you left on your quest?"

The look on Emma's face would make Regina laugh if it weren't for the fact that she can sense that there is no jest in Emma's reaction.

"No! I didn't even know Neal when I left on my quest. It's bad enough that I'm going to have to figure out how to fake my deflowering on my wedding night. As far as everyone is concerned, I am still virginal until my wedding night."

Regina watches as a shudder ripples down Emma's body, and her need to protect this woman grows stronger. "How long until you have to return to your parents and your kingdom?"

"The spiritual quest is to last two years. I have…" Emma pauses and her gaze goes vacant again. 

Regina finds herself studying that pale face more than she likely should. There are spokes of gold and blue in those mossy green eyes, like flashes of sunlight and sky slipping through to the depths of the ocean. Her heart speeds up just a bit at the thought of just how they change with Emma's emotions. And then she wonders if the tiny boy in her arms will inherit those same eyes as he grows older. Her gift of the Sight isn't consistent, but when it hits her, she pays attention, and she knows in her heart of hearts that these two are important.

"I have another six months before I need to return."

Emma's words pull her back from her thoughts, and she nods slowly. "And are there ever any cases where people go on these spiritual quests and don't return?"

Now it's Emma's turn to nod slowly. "Yes, it has happened from time to time." She chews at her bottom lip. "I _do_ have a younger brother named James after my father's twin who died when they were babies."

"So there is an heir to the throne should you not return home in six months?"

"Yes, but he's so much younger than I am."

"But you wouldn't be leaving your parents or your kingdom without an heir, would you?"

"I guess not…"

Regina smiles and strokes the boy's head gently. "He needs a name."

"Can't you do that? Or whatever family you give him to?"

"I could, but I don't plan to give him to a family."

Emma's eyes grow wide. "You're not going to kill him, are you?"

Regina rears back, taking the baby with her, letting Emma see the strange blend of fins and tentacles that comprise her lower half while in the water. "No! What kind of monster do you take me for?"

"I'm sorry. I just--"

"This is a special child, Emma," she replies, tone softening as she comes back to the end of the pier. "He has a Calling that must be nurtured. I will raise him myself, but I cannot name him. _You_ must name him."

"I--" Emma licks her lips and hesitantly reaches out to touch his blanket. "I don't know what to name him." She meets Regina's gaze again. "The legends say that you were human once, back before you became the Sea Witch. Was there a man that was important to you? Someone you looked up to and trusted, someone who kept you safe?"

Regina can feel her eyes misting over as memories come bubbling to the surface. "My father and my first love. Both died trying to protect me from…" she says, practically whispering the words, then clears her throat. "Both died trying to protect me."

*****

"What were their names?" Emma asks softly, feeling the kindred pain of lost loved ones.

That clearly startles Regina, based on the widening of her eyes. "My father's name was Henry, my first love was Daniel."

Emma mouths the names once or twice, then nods and smiles. "Henry Daniel. I like it. That's his name."

"Emma, you don't have to do this to curry favor with me."

"I'm not. If you're going to raise him and give him the best chance that he can get to survive and live a good life, then I want him named after the men that mean the most to you."

She bears the weight of Regina's heavy stare, unable to look away, not even to gaze upon her sweet baby boy. Henry Daniel. Such a strong, powerful name, but also giving off a gentle nature. She wonders what kind of man he'll grow up to be, hates that she won't be there to watch and support him on his journey to adulthood and his destiny. And she realizes once again that she needs to leave, and soon, or she'll never be able to walk away from her baby boy again.

"This is a great honor, Emma," Regina finally says, voice softer than Emma expects to hear from her, and it tears at Emma's very soul. "I will make sure that he always knows about you. And this" -- she flicks her wrist again and another of the small pale blue rattles appears in her hand -- "will allow you to see your son whenever you wish. All you need to do is shake it and whisper the following words: _Baby mine, let me see, for just a moment, let it be_. He will appear to you for as long as you wish until you shake it again, no matter where Henry and I are. Should you change your mind before your remaining six months are up, we will remain nearby unless I am summoned by another in need. All you need to do is return and call out the ritual words to me. You can choose yourself and your son, Emma."

"I--" Emma shakes her head, unable to say anything else. She takes the rattle and briefly runs her fingers over Henry's head one last time, tears beginning to blur her vision. "Be good for your new mama, Henry," she whispers, bending over to press a kiss to his forehead, then stumbles to her feet and turns to run back toward shore. She can hear Regina calling to her, but ignores it in her need to get away. She keeps running until she finds a tree to collapse against and let her grief consume her, rattle clutched tightly to her chest.


	2. Chapter 2

*** 2 years later ***

"Mama, Henny hungwy."

He looks up at Regina with wide eyes and his lower lip pouting out as far as it possibly can stretch. She chuckles and shakes her head before leaning in to press a kiss to the unruly mop of sun-kissed brown hair on his head. Anyone who looks at the two of them would think he is her son, but she can see his birth mother so clearly in his eyes and the set of his mouth. She can see his paternal grandfather, too, but she does her best to look past that dark taint to the beautiful, vivacious, intelligent little boy she's had the rare privilege to raise as her own. She has loved many of the children she's rescued and protected over the centuries, but this one… Henry is special, and not just because of the destiny awaiting him. After Daniel and her father died, Regina never thought she'd love another living being as much. But Henry changed her mind.

So did Emma.

"I know you're hungry, my handsome boy, but Mommy's not back from her walk yet, and we promised Mommy that we'd wait for her, right?"

"Uh-huh," he replies with a sigh, making her chuckle. "Gwapes?"

It's always so difficult for her to say no to this sweet boy that's stolen her very heart from her chest. "All right, my handsome boy, but just a few. You know Mommy always brings you a special yummy treat from her walks, Henry." Even as she says the words, she offers the boy a handful of grapes that he happily begins to munch on. "And what do we say when we're given something?"

"Fankoo, Mama," Henry mumbles around a mouthful of chewed up grape.

"You're welcome, sweetheart."

Regina leans over to kiss his forehead, then leans back to look toward the path where Emma had left earlier in the morning for her daily walk around the island to check her various traps and to make sure the other island residents were doing all right. It had taken almost no time for the others of Regina's chosen favorites to treat Emma and Henry as part of their extended family. Emma's education as the heir apparent to the kingdom of Misthaven gave her many skills to help Regina rule over the few dozen people living on her private island, something everyone has appreciated over time. At first, Emma had been quiet and withdrawn, spending the bulk of her time with Henry, even hiding away from Regina. She'd been hurt by that, but understood that Emma was mourning the loss of her family, even if it was her own choice. That kind of loss is always difficult to deal with initially, as Regina well remembers from her own mourning all those centuries ago.

"Mama! Mommy dere!"

Regina is pulled from her memories to see Emma walking along the path toward them with a bright smile on her face and a full cart behind her. Clearly the traps were full, which means plenty of meat for them to preserve for the colder months. She knows Emma will want to share it with the rest of the island residents, as they've all begun to do when they gather their various harvests. 

"Finish chewing and swallowing your grapes, Henry, while Mommy comes closer, all right?"

He nods and giggles, waving excitedly at Emma. She can't help but join him, feeling her smile grow broader when Emma returns the gesture and speeds up her pace. In no time, Emma is standing in front of them, holding out her arms to encourage Henry to come closer. When he does, she scoops him up into her arms to spin him around and pepper his face with kisses until he squeals with laughter. Regina watches them, heart bursting with love and pride that she was able to keep mother and son together after all.

*****

Emma smiles as she watches Regina stand and walk toward her and Henry. She's been living on this island with them for two years now, and couldn't imagine a better life for herself and Henry. She wakes up every morning grateful to Regina for giving her the choice to stay with Henry. She hadn't been able to stay away for more than a week before she'd come crawling back out onto the end of that pier, haggard and unable to sleep or eat from her grief and loneliness. She'd had the rattle's orb activated the whole time, just watching Henry and Regina until she'd pass out for a couple of fitful hours of nightmares, only to wake up and repeat the process all over again. 

When Regina gets close enough, she stops kissing Henry to press a sweet, soft kiss to Regina's lips instead. "Hi there, Mama. Has our boy been good for you while I've been out harvesting this morning?"

"Hello yourself, Mommy," Regina replies in that warm tone that never fails to make Emma feel like the center of the universe. "Henry's been very good and eager for you to come back because his poor tummy is just aching for something to eat. I had to give him a few grapes to stop it from rumbling."

Emma chuckles at that, knowing just how easily Henry has his adopted mother wrapped around his little fingers. If she's honest, he's got her wrapped around his finger, too. Both of them would do anything for their little prince.

"Is that so, Henry?" she asks, grinning when Henry nods enthusiastically. "Then I suppose it's a good thing I found some figs while I was harvesting today, isn't it?"

Henry's eyes grow round and he stretches out his hands in a grabby motion. "Henny hungwy, Mommy!"

Setting Henry on a nearby boulder, Emma reaches into the cart to pull out a juicy fig and hands it to him. "You sit here and eat this like a big boy while Mama and Mommy talk about today's harvest, okay, handsome? Then maybe we can go for a swim this afternoon after lunch and your nap."

Receiving a happy nod and giggle from her son as he begins to eat his fig, Emma turns to pull Regina into her arms for a proper greeting kiss. Regina's content hum fills her heart with such love and joy, she swears it will burst. Emma never expected to find love like this, especially after what happened with Neal, but Regina and Henry complete her life in ways she never realized she needed. Henry's giggle pulls them apart and Regina rolls her eyes.

"Our little prince finds our affection amusing, my princess," Regina says wryly. "What do you think we should do about that?"

"Take him swimming to wear him out, then give him a nice lunch and a long nap, during which we'll spend some time alone? Or maybe your friend Ursula will keep an eye on him so you can take me to your deep sea cavern again?" She can feel her face heating up with a blush at the memories of the last time Regina took her to that secluded cavern and the things they did there.

"I'm sure I could talk to her when she comes back from her retreat tomorrow. Do you think you can wait another day for some alone time?"

Emma's smile grows brighter and she pulls Regina closer for another kiss, murmuring, "I would wait the rest of my life if it meant I could spend eternity with you and our son. I love you, Regina, and I can never thank you for saving both of us."

"I love you, too, Emma. I could never allow the two of you to be separated like that, not when I felt how much you needed each other. I just didn't realize how much I needed you both, too. You've made my life complete in ways I never thought I'd have again when I made my deal with the gods."

"And yet, here we are, a happy little family, safe from those who could hurt us." Emma grows quiet for a moment. "We _are_ safe, right?"

"You are both under my protection, my princess. The Dark One cannot break my protection spells. He has his own _geas_, just as I have mine. You and Henry are safe and loved and wanted for the rest of time."

"Mwah!" Henry says brightly and giggles.

Emma and Regina turn to look at him, chuckling when they see the fig smeared all over his face, then gently kiss each other before moving to press kisses to his face.

Everything is right in their little world, and that's all that matters to the three of them.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [[Fanart] Deliver Us from These Poor Unfortunate Souls](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20317681) by [THEofficeghey](https://archiveofourown.org/users/THEofficeghey/pseuds/THEofficeghey)


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